Pawar latches on SC ruling to target Fadnavis, BJP

NCP president Sharad Pawar said on Tuesday he was named in an ED case despite no fault, while the Supreme Court had to order trial of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for a "crime" related to poll affidavit, and asked if the BJP was not running a "repressive regime".

Pawar made the comment after the Supreme Court set aside the Bombay High Court order which gave Fadnavis a clean chit in a case of suppression of criminal matters in the 2014 poll affidavit.

The former Union minister, his nephew Ajit and 70 others were last month named in a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an alleged scam at the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB).

In a jolt to Fadnavis, the apex court on Tuesday quashed the HC order and directed him to face trial for allegedly failing to furnish details of two pending criminal cases in his poll affidavit.

"The chief minister did not furnish details about pending cases again him. The Supreme Court has ordered to conduct trial.

"The Supreme Court had to order trial against the one who committed crime, while I was named despite not being a criminal, isn't this a repressive regime?" Pawar tweeted.

Pawar accused the BJP-led government of using pressure tactic and said the ED named him in connection with the alleged scam even though he was not a member or director of the bank.

"I am not afraid of it...We have to end use of such pressure tactic," he said on the micro-blogging site.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) on Tuesday said it is "totally wrong and contemptuous" to say that the Supreme Court has allowed his prosecution in a case of alleged suppression of criminal matters in the 2014 poll affidavit.

The apex court's judgement has no bearing on Fadnavis to continue as public representative or to contest the next election, the CMO said in a statement.